1. Field
The present invention relates to a transmission control apparatus for a saddle-ride type vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
A technique has been developed in which, once a gear-shifting operation is performed by use of a shift pedal in order to perform gear shifting on a transmission of a saddle-ride type vehicle, a sensor detects this gear-shifting operation, and an onboard computer activates an actuator on the basis of an output from this sensor, and thus a shift drum on a transmission unit side is rotated, so that gear-shifting to a desired gear position is performed. This is a so-called by-wire transmission.
A transmission control apparatus constituted of the shift pedal to the sensor causes a transmission drive unit including the actuator to drive the transmission unit. Thereby, a series of gear-shifting operations of the transmission unit is carried out.
The following two types are known as such a conventional transmission control apparatus for a saddle-ride type vehicle. One type of transmission control apparatus is configured to detect, by a sensor, the operation of the shift pedal, and concurrently to make click sounds while the shift pedal is operated as discussed in Patent Document 1, for instance. The other type of transmission control apparatus is configured to detect the operation of the shift pedal by use of paired switches, as discussed in Patent Document 2, for instance.
According to FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, a gear change pedal mechanism includes a gear change pedal 18, a potentiometer 125b configured to detect that a shift change is performed by use of this gear change pedal 18, and click generating means 150 configured to generate click sounds and vibrations similar to a sensation which is actually experienced when the gears are changed, when the gear change pedal 18 is operated.
Patent Document 2, in particular FIG. 16A, discloses a system that utilizes the technique described in Patent Document 1. In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses a transmission control apparatus in which components of the configuration based on the technique described in Patent Document 1 are placed in different locations. Specifically, according to FIG. 13 of Patent Document 2, a shift pedal 410 is linked to a lever member 408 by use of a link member 480, and shift pedal detection switches 422, 423 are arranged on the two sides of the lever member 408.
A support plate 402 is attached to an engine case 14, a shaft 409 is rotatably attached to this support plate 402, and the lever member 408 is attached to this shaft 409. Furthermore, the shift pedal detection switches 422, 423 are attached to the support plate 402.
Once the shift pedal 410 is operated, the lever member 408 is rotated in a predetermined direction by use of the link member 480. When the lever member 408 hits one of the shift pedal detection switches 422, 423, the one of the shift pedal detection switches 422, 423 is turned on. On the basis of a signal representing this detection, an engine control unit activates the actuator. Consequently, the shift shaft is rotated, and the shift operation is accordingly carried out.
Patent Document 1 corresponds to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-262233, and Patent Document 2 corresponds to International Publication No. 2006/011441.
In Patent Document 2, the support plate 402, the shaft 409, the lever member 408 and the shift pedal detection switches 422, 423 are exposed to a side of the vehicle body. For this reason, in a case where, for instance, the vehicle tumbles sideways, load is likely to be applied to these transmission control parts from the side.